<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 1027596
<NAME> ADVISORS SERIES TRUST

   <NUMBER> 17
   <NAME> HOWARD EQUITY FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-2000
<PERIOD-START>                             DEC-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               MAY-31-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       19,215,884
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      17,157,000
<RECEIVABLES>                                  153,401
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  14,046
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              17,324,447
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       139,943
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      224,842
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            364,785
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    18,869,125
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        1,444,620
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          829,729
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                      (49,122)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        198,543
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                    (2,058,884)
<NET-ASSETS>                                16,959,662
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               28,622
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               87,964
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 165,708
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        (49,122)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       375,842
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                   (3,089,915)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                       (2,763,195)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                        2,878
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        710,500
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                     95,815
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                205
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       9,733,672
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          3,092
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                     (177,758)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           84,521
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                171,727
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        16,942,399
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            12.04
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  (0.03)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (0.27)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.74
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.95